For long as humans have roamed this earth, fire has been a basic tenant of their survival. We have learned to tame it, control it, harness it. But unlike our ancestors who were forced to use such barbaric tools as fire pokers, large iron tongs and the like…modern technology has afforded us a unique and glorious opportunity. The ability to hold the life-giving flame in our very hands.
What Is It?
The G&F Grain Leather Fire Gloves are an incredible invention of human ingenuity. They allow for the manipulation and harnessing of fire like you’ve never known was possible. They are thick, leather gloves that are worn to keep your hands from getting burned when in extremely hot environments. This is helpful in a wide variety of applications from grilling at high temperatures, cooking with a cast iron skillet, welding, to adjusting the logs in a campfire to keep it burning hot.
They are made of extremely thick, extremely durable leather for the outside layer. There are then many other layers or durable material built in below that. I’m not sure of all the materials that are used, but I do know it’s stitched with kevlar stitching to ensure all the layers stay together no matter what you put these things through. The inside layer that comes in contact with your hand is surprisingly comfortable and soft. May seem like a small bonus but when you’re actually moving heavy items around and keeping them on your hands for any extended period of time, it makes a big difference.
Competition Comparison
This is actually one of the rare products that I recommend where I know there are other options out there that are just as good, or possibly even slightly better. I purchased these gloves in about 2014 or so (a testament to their durability) and since then I know that others are doing a great job building a very similar product. And when these finally reach the end of their useful life, I’ll probably go in another direction. I don’t say that to diminish the G&F gloves at all. I truly love them and I swear by them to anyone who asks! But there are a few things that they don’t do that others are doing (see “Cons” below).
That being said, I’m writing this reivew on the G&F gloves specifically because they’re the only ones I’ve tried, and thus the only ones I can speak to. It’s possible that those others look slightly better but then in real-world application they fall short. The G&F gloves I know to be incredible in every application I’ve used them in.
In case you are interested in the other options I’d probably look closely at when it comes time, I’ll link them below.
- RAPICCA Leather Forge Welding Gloves
- WZQH Leather Forge Welding Gloves
- KIM YUAN Extreme Heat & Fire Resistant Gloves
5 Fav Features
- Durability
- This is far-and-away the defining feature. These things are unbelievably tough. I have truly pushed them to their limits and they work as effectively as the day I bought them. There has been some slight hardening in the leather at the tips of the fingers, but that’s not really an issue. Other than that they truly do function like they are brand new. Amazing.
- Soft Inner Lining
- It’s a bizarre feeling to slide your hands into something you know is built so tough, and to be met with such a soft and comfortable material. I think it’s a really nice touch and something I appreciate every time I put them on.
- Simplicity
- I just love that the concept of the gloves is so straightforward and so simple. It’s just super tough material sown together to protect your hands from extreme heat. No electronics, no on/off switch. Just good ol’ fashioned quality engineering.
- Easy to Take On & Off
- Because you’re around intense heat when using them, I guess I just assumed I’d sweat, they’d stick to me, and they’d be a nightmare to get on and off. But that’s not the case at all! No matter the situation they slide on and off with ease.
- Kevlar Stitching
- Because the stitching on these gloves is so robust, I’ve never once worried about them beginning to fray, fall apart, or even loosen. They are as tightly held together as the first time I put them on.
Let’s Get Practical
All of the above describes the product itself, what it does, and how it differentiates itself from others like it.
But let’s talk about what it all comes back to. What does using this product actually look like in day-to-day use? Awesome…it has a bunch of cool features…but in practice, are they actually helpful?
I can answer that question only with my experience. With how I put this product to use in my own life to make it easier, more efficient, more consistent, more fun, whatever the case may be. Your experience will, of course, be different. But this should give you a place to start. You can at least read on with the knowledge that no products make it on this site without being a thoroughly tested, tried-and-true part of some area of my life!
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The primary way that I use these gloves is to move and manipulate logs in a campfire. They are a staple in my camping kit. Even when the embers are at their hottest, I can grab a burning log and prop it back up into the teepee, or rearrange it to another side of the fire not burning as well, whatever the need may be!
It’s incredibly helpful to be able to use your actual hands to move logs around in exactly the way you need them. No more bumping them with long sticks to try and make them fall into the general vicinity of where you’re aiming. Actually grabbing the logs and placing them allows you to be extremely specific and accurate, which is honestly more helpful than you can imagine until you just try it!
Also when I’m camping I use these as I cook around the fire. We’ve all been in the same situation of reaching out as far as we can to try and stir the eggs or flip the burgers with the very tips of our fingers clutching the spatula 😆. Feels like you’re entering into the mouth of a volcano just to cook your food! Not with these bad boys! Same benefits can be enjoyed with roasting marshmallows to perfection over those burning hot embers!
Now…of course, their heat resistant qualities aren’t unlimited! So let’s talk about how far you can actually push these things.
When a log is past the point of burning an open flame, and is mostly just a giant glowing ember, that’s when the surface of it is at its hottest. That being the case, those are the logs you can hold for the least amount of time. Usually I give those 3-5 seconds max before your fingers get so hot that you have to drop it. It’s still incredible that you can grab them at all! But just make sure you find a place to put them quickly!
A log that is actively burning and not yet primarily embers can usually be held for around 7-10 seconds. And a log that is not yet burning but is just heated from the rest of the fire you can usually hold as long as needed.
Now…make sure that no matter how hot the object is that you are holding, that you never let it get to the point of the heat being painful. I learned this lesson the hard way. This is because the gloves themselves obviously absorb the heat and retain it to some degree. So if you’ve waiting until your fingers are being burned from the heat, even when you drop the hot item the glove will continue to be hot and will keep burning you until you take the glove off or wait it out for several seconds (don’t do that haha). So just make sure to drop the item before it gets actually painful. This will avoid the danger of your fingers getting further burned when they’re already in pain from the heat.
Summary
- Pros
- These gloves open up an entirely new world. One where all that you know about the limits of human control over fire are utterly reconstructed. The build is remarkably durable and once you make the investment, you’ll enjoy their comprehensive protection for years to come.
- Cons
- As detailed in the “Let’s Get Practical” section above, it’s possible for the gloves to heat up past the point where you can wait it out after dropping the hot object. If you get to that point you have to take the gloves off very quickly to prevent getting burned further. This isn’t a knock on the gloves, actually. It’s just the nature of how heat conducts through leather. But just be aware of it as you’re wielding your new found super-natural powers. With great power comes great responsibility.
- I do wish that the gloves weren’t so loose fitting around the arm. As I’m moving around burning logs, for example, I’m often worried that a burning ember or other hot material will float into that open space and burn my arm. It’s never actually happened, but it would just provide more peace of mind if there was a tighter fit around my arm.
